Exploration • Drilling • Field Services
Fig. 2. With condition monitoring equipment provides the ability to predict with great accuracy when a component is likely to fail.
getting the best possible product for their application; but they are also potentially missing out on the benefits of development in materials technology that could see a component, costing more to buy initially, achieve rapid payback through enhanced performance and longer service life. With the turnaround time reduced, the extra cost of a better quality component is less of an issue when compared with the additional days of downtime.
offered by many of the leading players in the sector.
While some suppliers are content simply to respond to a request for quotation and supply exactly the same component as before, the trend among the leading component manufactures is to understand the application operating conditions and challenge the brief to explore if a different material or a modified design may help to optimise performance or service life.
instances, a five-day turnaround – or even quicker – from order placement is frequently achievable.
A
Fig. 3. The cost of a comprehensive stockholding can can rarely be justified.
Another less ‘tangible’ factor of this commoditised method of sourcing – and one that is again hard for procurement teams to measure purely in monetary terms – is the technical support, application advice and after-sales service
Once again, a relatively small additional cost at this stage has the potential to deliver drastic reductions in total cost of ownership of the final component supplied. However, those companies that simply work reactively with suppliers and order exactly the same product, without enabling them to suggest a best alternative, are potentially missing out on major opportunities to enhance performance, reduce energy usage and extend maintenance intervals. Te ability to interact with customers about technological advancements and design optimisation is therefore vital. l
dvances in manufacturing techniques and ever- improving transport links mean that in most
Graham Hill is with Morgan Advanced Materials – Seals & Bearings, Redditch, Worcestershire.
www.morganadvancedmaterials.com
www.engineerlive.com 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84